Author Archive
Link: https://aearesearchhighlights.libsyn.com/ep-49-the-great-reset
The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted wealth and income disparity. In his paper, Guido Alfani looks back at previous pandemics to see how different factors affected the gap between the rich and poor. Guido explores how we can learn from previous pandemic policies so new policy decisions can have a meaningful impact on decreasing inequality in the long run.
Original Air Date: April 4, 2022
Length: 19 Minutes
Citation: Alfani, Guido. 2022. “Epidemics, Inequality, and Poverty in Preindustrial and Early Industrial Times.” Journal of Economic Literature, 60 (1): 3-40.
Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/15/1093113723/the-student-loan-paaaaauuuuuse
For some, the student loan repayment pause that started in 2020 has allowed people to purchase houses, cars, and have babies. Most student loan borrowers have not made any payment towards their loans because there is no incentive to; especially with the Biden Administration promising $10,000 of loan forgiveness. If loan repayments were to resume it could be detrimental to those that are not prepared to start making those payments again.
Original Air Date: April 15, 2022
Length: 22 Minutes 44 Seconds
Discussion Prompt: What do you think the macroeconomic consequences would be if the government resumed loan payments?
Link: https://wordsandnumbers.libsyn.com/benevolence-backfires-the-cobra-effect
Sometimes laws with good intentions have unforeseen results that end up hurting the people they were meant to protect. James Harrigan and Antony Davies discuss the cobra effect and how government policy decisions bring about unintended consequences.
Original Air Date: September 4, 2019
Length: 33 Minutes 15 Seconds
Link: https://www.aeaweb.org/research/school-spending-student-outcomes-wisconsin
In this AEA Research Highlights podcast Author Jason Baron discusses the effects of different types of school spending on student outcomes and how school budgets should continue to evolve. Baron’s finds that increased spending on teacher salaries and supportive services positively affected test scores, dropout rates, and postsecondary enrollment, while spending on new buildings and renovations had less of an impact.
Original Air Date: February 18, 2022
Length: 22 Minutes 14 Seconds
Article Citation: Baron, E Jason. 2022. “School Spending and Student Outcomes: Evidence from Revenue Limit Elections in Wisconsin.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 14 (1): 1-39.
Link: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/why-is-everyone-moving-to-dallas/
More Americans have moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area over the past decade than anywhere else in the United States. Freakonomics podcast host Stephen Dubner explores the reasons why Dallas is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas which go deeper than just the decreased cost of living and absence of income taxes.
Original Air Date: January 19, 2022
Length: 49 Minutes 26 Seconds
Link: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/in-the-1890s-the-best-selling-car-was-electric/
Today, fewer than 1% of cars in the United States are electric. According to technology historian Tom Standage, the spike in gas prices may push the transition faster than people think. When switching from gas to electric cars, there is more to consider than just the labor market and the demand for gasoline. Standage believes everything will change.
Original Air Date: March 30, 2022
Length: 46 Minutes 20 Seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088346603/two-inflation-indicators-corporate-greed-and-mortgage-rates
Prices are still rising even though corporate profits are at a 40-year high. However, the rising inflation is not thought to be due to corporate greed but likely to other causes such as lingering pandemic issues and decreased competition in the markets. The Federal Reserve Bank has tried to fight this inflation by raising interest rates which will hopefully lead to less pressure on businesses to raise their prices.
Original Air Date: March 23, 2022
Length: 18 Minutes 27 Seconds
Link: https://www.aeaweb.org/research/ellora-derenoncourt-great-migration
In this AEA Research Highlights podcast, Derenoncourt discusses her findings on how some policies that encourage families to move to opportunity ignore the fundamentals that allow neighborhoods to thrive. In her paper, Derenoncourt uses evidence from the Great Migration to show why earning potential has decreased for African Americans living in those same neighborhoods that once promised a better life.
Original Air Date: March 2, 2022
Length: 19 Minutes 32 Seconds
Paper Citation: Derenoncourt, Ellora. 2022. “Can You Move to Opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration.” American Economic Review, 112 (2): 369-408.
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/news-not-noise/id1585743634?i=1000550850554
New York Times bestselling author Alec Ross talks about his new book, The Raging 2020s, and explains how that restore the balance of power between the government, businesses, and citizens a new social contract is needed for modern America.
Discussion Prompt: After listening to the podcast, do you agree that America needs a new social contract for the economy to thrive? While answering this question, use your economic thinking and reflect on ideas like wealth inequality, taxes, and unions.
Original Air Date: February 12, 2022
Length: 32 minutes 28 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/16/1056299014/of-boats-and-boxes
California Ports were not prepared for the consumer purchasing patterns shift from the pandemic. Instead of vacations, families were buying a new refrigerator or couch. This unpredictable increase in demand combined with the ports’ fragile system caused a supply chain issue that is still affecting America today.
Original Air Date: November 17, 2021
Length: 24 Minutes 55 Seconds
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